The Toronto Maple Leafs added veteran centre Vinni Lettieri to their roster as he's expected to be officially called up from the Toronto Marlies shortly.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs look for questions about their bottom-six and their ability to put the puck in the net, the team is already searching for solutions. Though they have Miles Wood available they haven't used him, and are instead looking at a Marlies staple.
Toronto adds Lettieri in unofficial roster move on Sunday
Keen eyes noticed that the Maple Leafs had added Vinni Lettieri to their roster page but have not officially called him up yet, so there is potential that he is going to be promoted after the Marlies game on Sunday:
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Lettieri, 31, has been solid for the Marlies since signing last season with the club. He had 14 goals and 42 points in 55 games for the team last year, and added 11 goals and 26 points in the postseason en route to the Calder Cup.
He does have some NHL experience as he has 15 goals and 32 points in 155 games with time spent between the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and New York Rangers.
Known for a booming slap-shot and someone who is a power play maestro, Lettieri will try and help add some much needed scoring to the team's bottom six and could see some time on the PP2 unit, as the team could use his blazing shot.
Why Toronto called up Lettieri over everyone else
Honestly, Lettieri is the right choice for the Maple Leafs out of the others like Brendan Brisson because he a) has a fair bit of NHL experience and b) deserves a call-up after two straight seasons of being key to the Marlies' success. Yes, it's about growing players but it is also about rewarding those veterans too.
For two seasons he has been a reliable and consistent player who not only adds a lot of offensive help but also isn't afraid to mix it up or get in the face of opponents. He's a workhorse and doesn't care what he's asked to do. Seeing him in the Marlies playoff run last year was amazing because it didn't matter if he had three points or none - he gave the same effort each shift.
It's time we started rewarding these veteran players a little more and see what they can offer. Not everyone can crack an NHL lineup for a full season, but there are certainly a few who can help out when times are tough.
Things in Toronto are getting tougher by the day, which is why they have decided to bring in Lettieri to see if he can help steer things a little straighter.
Do you think adding Vinni Lettieri is a good idea for the Maple Leafs lineup?
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